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WBLF Agenda

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Informal Mixer

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Optional Activity: Haunted Ghost & Vampire Tour

The haunted ghost and vampire tour will cover French Quarter history, ghost stories and vampire lore. Your Master Storyteller will entertain and educate with historically accurate tales of hauntings and history in New Orleans French Quarter. You will be surprised to hear what some “nice” ladies and gentlemen are capable of doing!

The tour will depart from the hotel lobby at 6:30 p.m. and will end at Jackson Square at 8pm. The approximate distance walked is 1 mile so be sure to bring your walking shoes! Space is limited on a first-come first-served basis. Additional fees apply.

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.

Welcome
Shannon M. Edwards, QPA, QKA, President, TriStar Pension Consulting, Oklahoma City, OK, Conference Co-chair
Amanda
Iverson, APM, Chief Operating Officer, Pinnacle Plan Design, PC, Tucson, AZ, Conference Co-chair

8:40 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
Vendor Demonstrations

8:50 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.
General Session 1:
How to Say Anything to Anyone: Setting Expectations for Powerful Working Relationships
You have a request for one of your co-workers but don’t know how to say it, so you don’t say anything. A project you worked on for six months has become a black hole. There is no information about the status. You’re frustrated, but you don’t say anything. Two employees aren’t working well together. It’s impacting the atmosphere in the office. You don’t know what to say, so you don’t say anything. Speaking up when we are frustrated is hard and, as a result, most of us don’t. Instead, either we tell other people (aka gossip) or we say nothing, and relationships become strained. You can say anything to anyone and have it be easy. You just need to lay the ground work to do so, and most of us don’t. Session learning objectives include:

  • Build trust in all of your business relationships, making it easier to say hard things.
  • Find out what the people you work with need from you, so you don’t have to guess.
  • Tell others what you need, making it more likely that your needs are met.

Shari Harley, Founder & President, Candid Culture

10:05 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Beverage Break

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 1
This roundtable discussion will take place in the main room with all conference attendees.

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Washington Update

Developments in Washington continue to affect retirement plans and their professional service providers. The IRS  issued and then withdrew a proposed regulation that would have significantly affected cross-tested plan designs. The IRS indicated that they will need to give the issue “further consideration” and that it may be addressed in future guidance. In addition, the Department of Labor’s (DOL’S) “conflicted advice” regulation has been released and will significantly impact not only financial advisers but also plan administrators. In particular, plan administrators will need to understand how their current practices could be swept up by the rule and what preventative measures they should take to avoid becoming ERISA fiduciaries. Learn how ASPPA’s Government Affairs Committee is responding to all of these important issues. Session learning objectives include:

  • Learn how the DOL’s “conflicted advice” regulation will impact professionals who provide administrative services to retirement plans and interact with fellow attendees in regard to responsive actions;
  • Understand why the IRS withdrew the proposal to significantly alter nondiscrimination testing for cross-tested plans and what may happen in the future; and
  • Hear about other IRS and DOL regulatory initiatives that will affect qualified retirement plans.

Craig P. Hoffman, Esq., APM, General Counsel, American Retirement Association

1:50 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Vendor Demonstrations

2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

General Session 2: Human Resource Trends and Best Practices
There are many different human resources issues that business owners and human resource professionals need to be aware of to help their businesses to continue to be successful. This session will focus on the latest Human Resource trends, including the latest information on pay and gender discrimination, FMLA leave, performance and termination, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, and best practices to make sure you are complying with the law.
Stacey C. S. Cerrone, Senior Counsel, Proskauer

Nicole A. Eichberger, Senior Counsel, Proskauer

3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Beverage Break

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 2

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Sponsor Dinner at Palace Café

Join fellow conference attendees and conference sponsors for dinner and networking opportunities at the Palace Café. The restaurant is a short walk from the hotel and the group will head over around 6:15 p.m. Attendees will enjoy a buffet dinner with dessert and cocktails.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.
Vendor Demonstrations

8:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.
General Session 3: Build, Grow and Ignite Your Business
What are you doing today to plan for the next five-ten years of your company? From closing new business to hiring your next employee, it is essential to have a focused strategy to maximize the organizations resources. The everyday demands of running the business make it easy to operate without a focused strategic plan. What does your organizational chart look like and how can you leverage your talent for creating additional revenue streams and growth opportunities. The business environment is changing…are you thriving or surviving? Session learning objectives include:

  • Understanding the most overlooked areas of a managing a business
  • Current marketing strategies for growth 
  • Internal growth systems for additional revenue

Deborah DeChambeau, CIC, AAI, Founder, Select Business Team, LLC

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Beverage Break

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 3

11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:35 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Vendor Demonstrations

1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
General Session 4: General Session 4: Leading at 90 Below Zero

This session will highlight leadership characteristics and habits that today's leaders can implement in order to better find, engage, and keep better performing employees. All of the take away points will be extracted from stories from Antarctic history. Session learning objectives include:

  • How to showcase your company to attract better people to grow your organization and stand apart from competitors.
  • Understanding how to get to the root of what drives each person and how to get people to want to create a stronger desire to want to perform at higher levels.
  • Increase people’s ability to do work that is more difficult and get better results.

“Antarctic Mike” Pierce, Storyteller and Author

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Beverage Break

3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 4

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Group Activity: Cooking Class at the New Orleans School of Cooking

Join fellow conference attendees for a private, hands-on class where attendees are divided into teams to prepare part of a four-course meal that everyone will enjoy together.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
General Session 5: Ethics for the TPA Business Owner

Some of the most significant challenges faced by business owners are ethical dilemmas, and these arise more frequently when a business is involved in a financial industry, such as ours. Clients may propose practices that are illegal or improper, and sometimes engage in these practices despite your best advice to the contrary. Furthermore, ethical issues may arise in connection with your own services to the client, as well as from your relationship with referral sources. Join Ilene Ferenczy for a discussion about these kinds of concerns and some practical tips for keeping your good reputation.
Ilene H. Ferenczy, JD, CPC, APA, Managing Partner, Ferenczy Benefits Law Center, LLP

9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Beverage Break

10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION 5

11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Closing Remarks
 

11:30 a.m.
Conference Adjourns